The Salina Journal from Salina, Kansas · Page 62

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Straight Talk FREE ADVICE Be activated by love: "A lot of people have run against Bob Dornan because they hated him and didn't like what he stood for. I ran because I loved my hometown of Anaheim and wanted to help people there. When you run for love, it's a much stronger force than running for hate." Use your vote: "Latinos need to understand that to have a voice you have to participate in the political process. In my district [which is 50 percent Hispanic], only about half of eligible Latinos voted." Sew to relax: "It's a good release. It's not like government, where you can work eight years on a bill and it still might not pass. Sewing a dress can take four hours, and then I see the result." She even sewed her Inaugural dress. To avoU crowds atOlswyliid: The theme park Is in Sanchez's district. "Go on a Monday or Tuesday. And go when it looks like rain, Other people will stay home, and it usually never rains In Orange County." IBBQBBBBBI Sanchez will write or call one reader who seeks advice. Write by Oct 5 to "Straight Talk," RO. Box 3455, Chicago, III. 60654 (e-mail: talk@usaweekend.com; fax: 312-661-0375). Zaslow is an advice columnist for the Chjcago Sun-Times Co. By Jeffrey Zaslow MlU£• The congresswoman learned a hard lesson when neighbors moved out because her family moved in. W HAT HELPED FRESHMAN Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif., win her race for the House? She says she had a head start. Sanchez, 37, is the first member of Congress who was a Head Start child. A daughter of Mexican immigrants, she was 4 when she entered the program for poor kids; there she learned English, ate her first non-Mexican food and learned about the American dream. For many Latinos in her district, Sanchez became the embodiment of that dream last November, when the former financial planner narrowly beat Orange County's nine-term conservative Republican, Bob Dornan. (Dornan charges that hundreds of non-citizens voted for Sanchez. Congress is investigating, but at press tune there was no indication that Sanchez acted improperly.) She calls Dornan "a bully" and "a sore loser," and says she tries to ignore him by focusing on her work. Her parents taught her that hard work is the best response to life's challenges. In 1965, "when we moved to Anaheim, the neighbors on both sides of us put their homes up for sale because we were Hispanic. One neighbor moved to some other part of town. The irony of it is that we all ended up at the same elementary school, junior high and high school." Sanchez and her six siblings became high achievers — class presidents and valedictorians. "Years later, my mom met one of those neighbors who'd moved. The woman said to my mom, 'You know, when you moved next door to us, we sold our home because we thought your kids would bring ours down." The woman apologized, calling the Sanchez children great role models. Sanchez credits her parents who embraced the American dream despite the prejudices. "My dad had been so discriminated against when he first arrived here because he didn't know English. He'd say, 'Never let them call you a dumb Mexican. Study and become something, because that's what this country is all about.'" K3 A cwfrtMlOMl flnfc The daughter of Mexican immigrants, Rep. Loretta Sanchw, 0-Calif., is the first member of Congress to have been a Head Start child. This congressional session, she says, she'll focus on job and education issues. , CEO ft EDITOR: MaiclaBuUv*- * HUMMER:Ckwlt*OitaMMH • WX PRESIDENTS:DM*Iwtw,WUCoalUcy,CarolKMB*c04«U,B*tkUwi*(K*,TtKNMtM*t**l I iXKUth* E«*«n Amy Elsman tatar btttfi Pan Olmsted Stnfer AtMtiata EdKor: Brenda turner AttgcMt EdKan: Gayle Jo Carter, Carol Clurman, Patricia Edmonds. Constance Kuo, Lonte lynch. Kathleen McQeary ton GNaf. Tom lant CwUton Terry Byrne Mate A OWanwf P*y liton Pamela Brown RMmrahm: M, Franco Salvoza, Cesar G. Sonsno E*w4al AiaWwU; Mlcnele Hatty, Miranda N. Walter ™«im»f <j«™«rtmp c-' °—- -- T.-... T f r ^ Tff n^. ^^1-^ Stephen Covey. Geony Foreman, Monlka Guttman, Florence Griffith Joynar, Stephanie Mansfield, Tom McNIchol, Jill Nelson, Cokle Roberts, Stevo Roberts, Tabltha Soren, Elizabeth Marshall Tnomas, Greta Van Susteren, JeflMy Zaslow fSSU Art DkWtM! Pamda SmHn AtaMtflt Art Mwtor: Clay Auch Unto Dwk Molly Roberto, Cindy Sorgen-Eicrier TKhnato^y Itonajan Treva Stose Otttt tUffi Kate Bond. Brenda Nelson KKOHI Untot Htw M*«a; Own* Castabnan Vln Narayanan, Amelia Swphenson A4v*rtWnf Casey Shaw mmilHiHiUmilUB S35 Madison Ave., New York, N.Y. 10022 ^"'^'""rTTTWlt 1"~'Yfl':rr FM .iMlimimi.'fii.1:110 mill TtiMreirtrnT ftTnir-TT ritirrfrf r 1- S USA WhEKEND MOO-U7-HM USA WEEKEND • Sept. 28-281987 33